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Baby Injured In Accident Involving Tractor-Trailer

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Emergency crews rushed a baby to Children's Hospital after an accident involving a tractor-trailer shortly before noon in Lawrenceville.

According to police, the 1-year-old baby boy, identified as Sylvester Smith, underwent surgery at Children's Hospital Friday afternoon.

Christine Smith, the boy's mother, may have had her feet run over in the accident. She was refusing medical attention until she knew her child was going to be okay.

The blue umbrella stroller was lying mangled on the sidewalk after the accident, nearby was 58-feet of truck cab and trailer.

"The child's lower extremities were run over - leg issues - about three-feet of the tire was rolled back to get the child out from underneath," said a Pittsburgh Police official.

The accident happened at 40th Street and Butler Street. The mother was standing on the corner near Wendy's with her 1-year-old in the stroller.

"The mother was on the corner attending to the child, bent over the stroller," said Det. Peggy Sherwood, of Pittsburgh Police.

Just then, a Premier Transportation truck out of Georgia hung a right onto 40th Street.

"The truck made the bend and jumped the curb, and struck the mom and child," Det. Sherwood said.

Witness ran alongside the truck yelling for the driver to stop.

Police say "the child was taken to Children's Hospital in critical condition with some leg injuries and possible internal damage."

The mom also suffered ankle and foot injuries.

One woman who spotted the mother and child right before the accident thought they were very close to the road.

"She was standing right on the edge of the sidewalk and I guess she just didn't move when the truck started to turn," said Nicole Schneider, a witness.

According to neighbors, there have been other accidents here before.

Accident investigators will review surveillance tapes from the Get Go across the street and download the truck's on-board computer. They'll also take photographs inside the cab.

The truck's driver is from the state of Indiana.

Investigators say it will to determine who - if anyone - will be charged in this accident.

They say that all the pieces of the puzzle are present, but there are more interviews to do with the mom and driver to see if the fault lies with the driver or if the mom wasn't paying attention.

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